A young bricklaying apprentice has said that the regeneration work on the Ardler area of Dundee has been a lifeline for him.
Dean Elder, 20, told the Dundee Courier that he was taken on by Graham Construction, one of the companies carrying out work on the homes in the area, after his previous employer ceased trading. He told the newspaper that he has been able to work on 60 homes in Birkdale Place for the Sanctuary Housing Association.
“I’m just starting out on my career and it was a massive blow when [my former company] went bust,” he said. “It’s been fantastic to be able to restart my apprenticeship with Graham. It’s a great company to work for and I’m looking forward to continuing to work here for many years to come.”
Ardler had been characterised by the six 17-storey brutalist tower blocks that were built in the 1960s, but it has recently been undergoing extensive regeneration, which has seen the demolition of all six of the towers.
Sanctuary’s development director, Peter Martin, said they were delighted to be able to create new employment and training opportunities He explained: “By working in partnership with Graham and our other contractors, we ensure we maximise the number of apprentices and other trainees on our sites who get the chance to learn life-changing skills.”